Health
Finding good health news amidst a pandemic can be quite daunting. That’s not the case with The Optimist Daily, where positive news is in high supply. Our Health section covers the latest good news from the health sector, featuring solutions ranging from mental and physical health to immunity, nutrition, and cutting edge medical research.
The best and worst cities in the U.S for vegetarians and vegans
If you’re a traveling vegetarian, you may want to check out this guide to veggie-friendly cities in the U.S. You could probably guess that cities like Portland, New York City and San Francisco stand near the top of the list of most veggie-friendly cities, but did you know Santa Fe, New Mexico had Read More...
How to use food as preventive medicine
By now, most of us know that October is a month to raise awareness about breast cancer. Since only 10 percent of breast cancer cases are genetic, a huge part of this conversation revolves around cancer prevention through environment and lifestyle adjustments. We can't control everything, but we can Read More...
The science of yoga
More than 11 million Americans currently practice yoga, according to the American Council on Exercise. Back in 2010, a comparative analysis study from researchers at the University of Maryland School of Nursing concluded that yoga may be as effective as, or even better than, exercise when it comes Read More...
Air pollution more deadly in Africa than malnutrition or dirty water, study warns
Africa’s air pollution is causing more premature deaths than unsafe water or childhood malnutrition, and could develop into a health and climate crisis reminiscent of those seen in China and India, a study by a global policy forum has found. The first major attempt to calculate both the human Read More...
10 ways probiotics and prebiotics can change your life
Your gut is telling you something. Listen! In modern Western society, say the word “bacteria” and alarm bells go off. Germs! Disease! Danger! Modern society seems bent on viewing the microbial world with a combination of fear and disgust. The truth is, though, for the most part, Read More...
7 agricultural innovations that could save the world
Algorithms are everywhere these days. They can refine our web searches and help us decide what show we should binge on next or controversially used to determine who is most likely to become a criminal. Algorithms can also be harnessed to more effectively plant a field with diverse Read More...
Small farmers can overcome climate change and feed the world
Like many small-scale farmers, Elizabeth Mpofu from drought-hit Zimbabwe has had to adapt her homestead to cope with a changing climate, which the United Nations says threatens to push millions globally into poverty and hunger. She has found ways of adapting such as collecting and storing rainfall Read More...
The right way to take melatonin supplements for sleep
Jet lag always seems to get the best of me when I travel. I’ve tried prescription sleeping pills, well-timed cups of coffee, and even gradually adjusting my sleep schedule in the days leading up to a trip. But I hadn’t used melatonin to help regulate my sleep cycle, so when Sundown Read More...
Green buildings benefit the environment and the people inside them
Green-certified buildings help to maximize efficiency, and we’re not just talking about sustainability. A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that workers in high-performing, green-certified buildings think and sleep better than those in similar buildings that were not Read More...
Can the sweet potato prevent malnourishment in Africa?
Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health issue in sub-Saharan Africa, affecting as many as 43 million children across the continent. Children affected by it are more likely to become blind or contract diseases, but scientists say there may be a solution in the form of a special sweet potato. Read More...